All posts by tnall

Our son was born six weeks premature, and even though he seemed healthy, we learned he had heart abnormalities. After evaluating him, the heart specialist said, “We’re going to become very close friends.” over the next five years, we did everything possible to fix his heart. There were multiple surgeries, and there would be complications. We’d make these medical choices and then we’d agonize over the suffering they caused him. Heroic efforts were made but nothing worked. When there were no viable options to save our child, my wife and I asked hospice for help. The pediatric hospice team at Hospice of Michigan helped to make this one of the best times of our son’s short life. No more invasive treatments, no more IVs. For several months, he was like any other five-year-old boy – living as happy and normal a life as his heart would allow.

When my great grandmother was dying, I remember the day hospice came. My family was at her house – my aunts, my uncles, my cousins. it was Spring and everyone was in the backyard talking and pacing and crying. We have a big family and it operates together – one big group. The focus was my grandmother’s pain, and the changes that seemed so hard to understand. My mother was scared. My grandmother was scared. They knew she was dying but they didn’t want her to suffer. Someone called Hospice of Michigan. No one really knew a lot about hospice then. it was just a word with good feelings attached. The hospice nurse came to my great grandmother’s house, she explained everything. She told us what to expect. She knew how to manage the pain. I remember watching the fear leave my mother’s face. It was a good day because everyone seemed to sigh in relief.

When her husband was diagnosed with brain cancer, every day they looked for “sprinkles from heaven” – like an unexpected call from a friend, the sight of a bright red cardinal on a housetop, a grandchild crawling onto his lap. They had been married for 54 years and they had been happy. They were still happy. Sometimes his friends would take him to the doctor. he called them “the boys.” He loved “the boys” but he couldn’t remember their names. For their last Christmas, he bought her a dozen roses. He had trouble signing his name on the card. Eventually they asked for hospice, and she says it was like a miracle. The thing she liked the most was that he was treated with such dignity. She says the help they gave her changed her life. Now she helps spread the word for hospice of Michigan.

I’ve been married for 44 years, and this is the first time my wife has been really sick. The hardest thing was to see her in pain. She tried to hide it, and that made it worse. We tried a lot of treatments and a lot of doctors, and then one doctor helped us face the truth. He said she isn’t going to get better and we should ask for help. When he said hospice – I didn’t want to hear it. But he said that in a lot of ways her life would get better because hospice comes to us, they help us with the care, and manage the pain. he recommended Hospice of Michigan. As soon as the nurse came, my wife and I felt relieved. They cared about our feelings and knew what to do. We don’t know how much time we have, but everything is a lot better now.

Gaylord,Michigan,November17, 2014 – Hospice of Michigan, the largest non-profit hospice and palliative care organization in Michigan, is seeking volunteers in Northern Michigan to help support patient care, office administration and a variety other programs.

Volunteers are an integral, yet often invisible about part of a hospice team. Caregiving for a terminally ill loved one can be exhausting for family and friends, and a volunteer can provide opportunities to get away for a needed break.

“If you have a few hours to spare every week, you can make a real difference in someone’s life,” said Kathy Lietaert, volunteer program manager for Hospice of Michigan. “Making a cup of tea or reading the newspaper to someone struggling with illness not only adds normalcy to their day, it gives caregivers much-needed relief and the personal time they need.”

Lietaert explains that the opportunities for an HOM volunteer are virtually limitless. Some of the ongoing volunteer needs include:

Companionship visits and caregiver relief

Bedside vigils to ensure that patients in their final hours will not die alone

Care by professional massage therapists, hair stylists and manicurists

Specialty programs, such as pet, music and aroma therapy

Seamstresses, crafters and scrappers who can assist in making memory bears from the clothing of a lost loved one, creating birthday or other special occasion cards or leading other hands-on projects

Veterans who can reach out to their fellow servicemen and women through the We Honor Veterans program, which is designed to address the unique needs of military personnel at the end of life

Baking and delivering cakes and cookies to celebrate special occasions

MyStories Program™ where volunteers record special stories told by the patient

Prospective volunteers will be asked to go through a training course where they learn more about HOM, the principles of hospice, the grieving process and how to help patients, families and staff.

“The best volunteers have a passion for helping others,” Lietaert explained. “They are dedicated, compassionate, non-judgmental and flexible. They may or may not have a specific skill to share, but they have the time and the willingness to make a difference in the life of a patient and family.

“At some point or other, everyone who volunteers will ultimately get something out of the experience.

For those who have experienced a loss, HOM encourages a waiting period of one year before becoming a volunteer in order to allow for the processing of grief.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state. The non-profit cares for more than 1,700 patients each day, raising more than $4 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including At Home Support™, our advanced illness management program, community- based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and healthcare professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

Detroit, November 4, 2014 – A three-year study of patients and caregivers coping with advanced illness found that utilizing At Home Support™ services significantly reduces health care costs while improving outcomes.

Published in the October issue of American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, the peer reviewed study conducted by Wayne State University and Hospice of Michigan found that patients enrolled in a trial of At Home Support reported:

An average decline in monthly spending on outpatient and inpatient health services of 36.8 percent

A decrease in hospitalization rates of 34.9 percent

A decrease in length of hospitalization stay of 24.6 percent

Total cost savings of 44.0 percent

The study examined 148 chronically ill patients with advanced cancer, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during a period from 2007 to 2011. Ongoing Hospice of Michigan research of At Home Support patients from the end of the study through today demonstrates similar cost savings.

“We are very gratified by the publication of this article, which affirms the significant reduction in expense achieved with At Home Support,” said Dr. Michael Paletta, co-author of the study and executive director of the Hospice of Michigan Institute, which developed the program. “Patients suffering from chronic illness often find themselves thrust into a ‘care gap’ that requires them to make difficult choices. Not yet ill enough to qualify for hospice benefits yet in need of assistance to manage their disease, patients and their families find few options that offer real answers.

“At Home Support works to fill that gap by taking an interdisciplinary approach to providing curative treatment in combination with comfort care. Patients and their families report better outcomes, lower costs and increased satisfaction with our proprietary program.”

First piloted in 2007, At Home Support now serves more than 550 patients daily throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Ohio. In order to improve functional and clinical outcomes, At Home Support program focuses on key components of the care continuum that include interdisciplinary collaborations, chronic disease management, decision making support, caregiver support and individualized care.

Interdisciplinary collaborations involve teams of nurses, counselors, personal care assistants and volunteers. The teams develop treatment plans that focus on pain and symptom management, disease process education and goals-of-care. By organizing shared knowledge among the healthcare team, the patient is able to avoid unnecessary duplication of work, testing or treatment and harmful interactions that may result.

Chronic disease management provided by At Home Support teams includes assistance with activities that are necessary for quality of life. The activities and assistance vary based on each patient’s individual needs, but may include help bathing, dressing, preparing meals, eating, shopping and navigating transportation.

Decision making support is provided to keep the patient’s medical condition and the patient’s personal values and priorities at the forefront when determining care. Sometimes health care surrogates –caregivers who hold a patient’s medical power of attorney – make decisions based on their own values and preferences, not those of the patient. At Home Support helps clarify the role and responsibilities of the surrogate so that they can be proper advocates for the patient’s expresses wishes.

Caregiver support was found to be a key component of home-based palliative care intervention. Primary family caregivers can become exhausted from the daily grind of care giving and crisis trips to the doctor’s office and emergency room, to the point of almost welcoming a hospitalization for respite. Following the At Home Support program model, staff prepares caregivers to communicate effectively with and advocate for the patient to health care providers and payers. Caregivers are also trained in home safety, proper delivery of medication and disease management.

Individualized care is provided to a home-based palliative care patient depending on the patient’s condition, identified needs and trajectory of decline. Patients have the opportunity to discontinue services at any time. Although they are referred to hospice care when appropriate, patients and families who decide not to access these services may still receive palliative and comfort care from At Home Support staff who are trained in these types of end-of-life care.

In one sample, the recent study found average monthly outpatient costs declined from $6,322 to $2,849 and monthly numbers of outpatient services were reduced from 25.4 to 16. Additionally, home-based palliative care intervention patients monthly acute care hospital days declined from 7.65 to 5.77 when compared to traditional hospice patients.

“We see tremendous – and growing need – for programs like At Home Support, which provides care for families coping with a life-altering illness,” Paletta explained. “We have clinically demonstrated that At Home Support reduces the burden on family caregivers while reducing costs and improving quality of life.

“As we shared in the conclusion of the study, we have successfully challenged the perception that adding home-based services contributes to escalating health care costs. Our findings suggest that a preventative, home-based program that adds services and benefits can actually lower total health care costs.

“As the burdens of managing chronic conditions for patients and providing end-of-life care continue to shift to family caregivers, programs such as At Home Support will become increasingly necessary.”

For a copy of “Cost Analysis of a Novel Interdisciplinary Model for Advanced Illness Management, or more information about At Home Support, please call Michael Jasperson at 313.578.5023 or e-mail mjaspers@hom.org.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state. The non-profit cares for more than 1,400 patients each day in 56 counties across Michigan, raising more than $4 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including At Home Support™, our advanced illness management program, community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and healthcare professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

Canton, Michigan, November 4, 2014 – Hospice of Michigan will host a grief support program in Canton on Monday, Dec. 15.

The program, which will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Canton Senior Center, 4600 Summit Parkway, will feature a presentation from Ron Gries, author of “Through Death to Life.” Gries’ book is a collection of poetry and prose he wrote during his wife’s five year battle with cancer, which eventually took her life. During his presentation, Gries will reflect on his experience and discuss dying, living, grief, healing and hope.

The program is free and open to the community. Advance registration is required.

For more information or to register, please contact Margaret Martin at 734.769.5821 or mmartin@hom.org.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state. The non-profit cares for more than 1,700 patients each day, raising more than $4 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including At Home Support™, our advanced illness management program, community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and healthcare professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

Detroit,October20, 2014 – Hospice of Michigan will honor veterans with a special series of pinning ceremonies throughout Michigan on and surrounding Veterans’ Day in November.

Veterans representing each of the military branches will be presented a certificate reflecting their branch of military service and an American flag pin honoring and thanking them for their military service. The pinning ceremonies may also include a special “Missing Man” ceremony honoring MIA/POW servicemen, candle-lighting ceremony honoring the sacrifice of family members of veterans, a rifle volley or a performance of “Taps.”

“Many military veterans have never been formally thanked for their service to our country,” said Dr. Michael Paletta, executive director of the Hospice of Michigan Institute. “Our pinning ceremonies not only provide well-deserved recognition for our veterans, but they also allow time to reflect on the sacrifices made by members of the military in an effort to preserve our freedom.”

HOM’s pinning ceremonies are open to the public, and media are welcome to attend.

Hospice of Michigan is a participant of the We Honor Veterans program, a partnership between the Veterans Administration and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, or NHPCO. The program was developed to enhance care for veterans at the end of life and includes both educational and ceremonial elements.

Participating hospices receive training to recognize and treat the unique issues facing military families, provide access to community resources, and facilitate cooperation between VA health agencies and hospice services. As a Level Four WHV partner, signifying the organization has met the highest standards set by the VA and NHPCO for this national program, HOM has trained its care teams in 56 counties across Michigan. Paletta, who is also a retired Colonel and flight surgeon, serves as the executive champion of We Honor Vets for Hospice of Michigan.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state. The non-profit cares for more than 1,700 patients each day, raising more than $4 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including At Home Support™, our advanced illness management program, community- based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and healthcare professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

Newaygo, Michigan, October 6, 2014 – Hospice of Michigan will present Children and Grief, a community-outreach program to assist adults with grieving children.

Designed for parents, grandparents and guardians, the Children and Grief program will provide information on children and grief based upon their developmental stage, suggestions on how to talk with a child about death and ways to support a grieving child. Practical handouts and professional resources will be provided.

The session will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at the Newaygo Center, 585 Fremont St., from 6:30-7:30 p.m. The program is free and open to the community. Advance registration is required.

For more information or to register, please contact Tangela Zielinski at 231.796.7371 or tzielins@hom.org.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state. The non-profit cares for more than 1,700 patients each day, raising more than $4 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including At Home Support™, our advanced illness management program, community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and healthcare professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

Detroit,October3, 2014 – Hospice of Michigan will present a series of Coping with the Holidays events, a free community-outreach program that provides the bereaved with tips to deal with grief during a time when most are happy and expressing joy.

“Holidays can be extremely difficult for those suffering from grief, especially during the first year after the death,” said Karen Monts, director of grief support services at Hospice of Michigan. “While grief is a personal experience that takes place over time, gradually the bereaved begin to feel a new sense of purpose and they will learn to live with the loss and once again enjoy this special time of year.”

HOM’s Coping with the Holidays program teaches that the holidays may be challenging, but there are techniques to help handle grief and find comfort, such as:

Planning Bereaved individuals who seem to have the most difficulty with the holidays are often those who have given little thought to the emotional challenges they will encounter.

Accepting your Family and social pressures, in combination with decision- making challenges, can be overwhelming. Choose a few issues to deal with and limit the number of decisions you need to make so they won’t overwhelm you.

Taking care of Exercise, eating a proper and balanced diet and getting the proper amount of rest is critical. Avoid the temptation of excessive alcohol.

Lowering Go easy on yourself and try not to over-extend in order to reduce overall stress.

Events will be held:

Wednesday, 22, in Grand Rapids at St. Paul the Apostle, 2750 Burton from 3:30- 4:30 p.m.

The Coping with the Holidays program is open to all those dealing with grief, whether a loved one died recently or decades ago. Participants are invited to enjoy refreshments and listen as grief experts discuss holiday coping techniques such as planning ahead, accepting limitations, and finding someone who will listen.

To register, contact Hospice of Michigan at 888.247.5701.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state. The non-profit cares for more than 1,700 patients each day, raising more than $4 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including At Home Support™, our advanced illness management program, community- based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and healthcare professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.